Prince Reagan

old Pack | was fiddling with my fingers as | felt anxious about the upcoming confrontation with my former mate. My bruised lips are already healed due to my wolf's healing, so | was back to chewing on it.

Thaven’t seen Brad since that unfaithful day when he’d tried to mark and almost kill me. But thanks to Reagan beside me, that didn’t happened. Brad had lost a lot due to that day. His canines, his Alpha title, his dignity, and even the love of his parents.

| wasn’t sure if he hatedfor it and would curseto hell if he saw me. But | was gonna try my luck either way and see how he fared. His mate, Stacy, might wish to killif her eyes landed on me, but | wasn't scared of her. | actually feel bad for her, seeing as her world was also crumbling along with Brad's. She wasn’t going to be a Luna anymore, and her mate was, well...damaged.

| can feel Reagan's fury besideas he kept his eyes out the window. We already were in the forest, moving along a dirt road that leads to the packhouse.

| know how he feels, considering | felt that way anyt| saw Jclose to him. He's seething with jealousy and fury. And I'm sure if he saw Brad tonight, he’d rip his throat out with his claws. It's a good thing | had stopped him from taking Brad to the council to face a trial. He wouldn't have survived any more punishment handed to him.

I've known Brad right from high school. He used to be sweet and jovial, and everyone loved him then. But everything changed the day | heard my heart beat his nas my mate. | wonder for a while how things would have been had he acceptedthat day. He would have been named Alpha on his inauguration day. But maybe he would have lost his life in the process.

Reagan had mentioned that he would have still felt that | was his mate and would challenge Brad for me. | wasn't sure how | felt about that as it madeseem like an object. But either way, something bad would have happened to Brad, and I'm always the cause, it seems.

That was the thing with the mate bond. It is far from perfect, with too many flaws. Only a few are lucky to experience the good side of it, like my parents.

We weren't stopped on the way since the werewolf’s on duty could smell us and knew we weren't a threat.

The lights flashing from the packhouse can be seen now, and my nervousness once more spikes up. | was having second thoughts when | felt my mate’s calming touch on my thigh. | but he wanted to support me. And | understood that, even without him speaking.

He nods atjust as the car stops in front of the large house, and Adrian comes to open the car door for us. | hop out with Reagan behindbefore Adrian slams the door shut behind 1. us.

“Wait here,” Reagan tells him before leadingby the waist to the building’s entrance. Swerewolves had already cout and waited there for us. They could smell who was coming and already had their heads bowed down.

“Your Highness.” A male werewolf bows to Reagan before nodding to me. He may be my pack member, but | hardly knew any of them since | always kept to myself. So there wasn’t much friendliness between us.

“To what do we owe this pleasantry from a royal beast?” He politely asks, not making eye contact with my mate.

“Where is your Alpha?” Reagan c***s an eyebrow at him with his usual unreadable expression on. “Or hasn't he been notified that a higher authority is in his premises?” His tone is filled with ice that makes the werewolf and his friends shiver in fear.

“A...apologies, sir. He will be down shortly.” And not a second later, Alpha Benson strides out with his Beta behind him and his Luna. Other pack members with high officials follow, not wanting to miss the occasion of a visit from royalty. They all bare their necks open as they feel my mate’s powerful aura.

“Your Highness.” Alpha Benson's bows to Reagan and earns a grunt in return.

“Benson.” | can see the weary look on my previous Alpha’s face, probably from all the stress Brad has been given him. Right, he’s no longer my Alpha since I'm turning into a Lycan. | no longer feel the need to be submissive towards him since my wolf is getting stronger by the day.

Luna Ciara is still looking regal like a queen. But | know it’s just a show to hide her misfortunes. Since she was a leader, she had to keep looking strong even in the face of adversaries.

“Shouldn’t you have invited the Prince and his mate in before asking silly questions, you useless mutt?” Alpha Benson's loud growl is enough to make the male werewolf turn pale as he begins to apologize repeatedly.

“Please, cin.” Alpha Benson urges, forcing out a smile and moving back to let us in.

away in shame. | really wish he didn’t blhimself for his son’s bad choices.

“We aren't wasting much time, as we only cto see your son”, Reagan announces as we walk in, and | can hear the displeasure in his voice. Silence follows his words with looks of dread on the pack members’ faces. Even Luna Ciara had tuned white with her eyes pooling with tears. Alpha Benson also turns speechless before he looks away in regret.

“P...please...” | hear Luna Ciara stutter out, which was a first, as she walks forward.

“He has realized his mistake and is truly sorry. Please, your highness, he doesn’t deserve any more punishment than he has already received. Please, Ellie. Do something.” She shamelessly pleads with tears falling down her cheeks as she looks towith her hands clasped in front of her.

| don’t think I've ever seen her this vulnerable before, makingfeel even more guilty.

Alpha Benson comes forward to pull her back even though she protests and continues to plead to Reagan. Pack members were already peeping from upstairs, all wanting to see what was going on.

Reagan lets out an irritated sigh as he takes in the scene before us. “As much as | would love to end your worthless son's life with my bare hands...l can’t, seeing as I'm not here for that.” | send a small glare at him, not happy with how he was unfeeling to these people.

But | get it. Brad had crossed a line when he tried to forcefully mark me. Usually, that could lead him to be banished from the pack or even executed in some. But since his dad is the Alpha, there's bound to be selements of bias. Plus, he had lost his canines. That was almost equivalent to death for a werewolf.

| can see the look of confusion on everyone's face at Reagan’s words. Luna Ciara stops her pleading to stare at my mate, who has a look of boredom on his face.

“Ellie would just like to have a chat with him.” Reagan briefly explains, and the confusion only grows as everyone now turn their stare toin question. | feel uncomfortable from the curious looks, but luckily, Reagan steps in front ofso their eyes would land back on him.

“We don’t have all night,” Reagan mentions in a bored tone. “Can you bring him out here?” Alpha Benson regains his composure then, “I'm sorry, your Highness, but due to recent... events, Brad isn't as strong as he used to be and is confined to bed.” Even though he says that without faltering, | know he’s sad by his son’s debility. Once more, guilt consumesfrom the belly up.

“That's alright. Ill go to him instead.” For the first time, | speak up.

We're lead upstairs and pack members who were once trying to eavesdrop while peeking at us turn their heads down, and look away as they busy their hands with something. They bow to my mate as we walk by, but their curious eyes always seem to gaze up to linger on Reagan or me.

We walk down the long corridors till we reach an isolated room farther at the end. It is only Alpha Benson and Luna Ciara who lead us while the others remained behind.

Just then, the door swings open, and out walks out a depressed Stacy. Her appearance is bedraggled, with her blond hair losing its light color and turning dark. There are dark circles around her eyes, and her skin was as pale as a ghost. She had lost a tremendous amount of weight, and her clothes look unkempt...She looked unkempt.

The last t| had seen her, | thought she looked bad. But now, she looks worse.

Her tired eyes peer at us in confusion before they land on me, and they blaze then in fury as she glares daggers atthrough them.

Taking a step forward and ignoring Reagan's presence, she snarls atin contempt. “What is she doing here?” Luna Ciara catches hold of her hand and pushes her backward when she continues to advance towards me. She almost falls flat on her back due to her shaky, exhausted knees. This is what losing your mate could do to you. It eats you from the inside, killing you slowly ‘till you are lifeless. Only a few had survived it.

“Stop your nonsense tantrums and let her through, you unfortunate pup.” Luna Ciara snarls back at her. It seems she still hasn't forgiven her for lying to her about being Brad's mate.

Stacy whimpers at her harsh words before she looks away, sulking in silence. | really felt sorry for her even though | once despised her for causingpain.

With a sigh, I go for the door only to hear footsteps followingfrom behind. I turn to stare at Reagan in question while he tilts his head to the side.

Taking in a deep breath, | say to him, “Reagan, | want to speak to him...alone.” | state, but he growls in disapproval almost immediately.

“No!” His thundering voice shakes the floor we're on.